For purposes of illustration the present apparatus is described in connection with feeding particulate glass batch material for which it is especially adapted, although the apparatus can be used to advance other particulate, pulverulent or granular materials such as coal dust to a stoker.
It is well known to produce glass products from a particulate batch by heating the batch well above its fusion temperature to form a molten mass and then processing the molten mass to a desired product form, whether by drawing, molding, blowing, or still other techniques. Many diverse problems arise in suitably melting a glass batch and obtaining a refined melt of uniform composition free of stones, occlusions, and the like. Many of these problems, in turn, are due to the manner of feeding and processing the glass batch prior to the time it has been completely converted to the molten state.
As an example, the rate of feeding glass batch may vary, causing the level of molten glass in a furnace to rise and fall through relatively wide limits over a period of time and introducing irregular operation. This is apt to result in a non-uniform melt. Still other operational problems arise such as segregation of batch particles. Or the intended formulation of the glass may be unavoidably altered due to dusting of the batch and loss of batch dust as effluent as through an exit stack, especially in the case of gas-fired furnaces.
It would, therefore, advance the art to provide improved apparatus for advancing glass batch and other particulate material to a glass melting furnace or other receiver.